Program and Workshop Overview

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) manages the Material Management and Minimization (M3) Conversion Program that was established in 2015, being a continuation of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) and Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors (RERTR) Programs that were established in 2004 and 1978 respectively. The M3 Conversion Program mission supports minimization and, to the extent possible, elimination of the use of highly-enriched uranium (HEU) in civil nuclear applications by working to convert research reactors and isotope production processes to the use of low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel and targets throughout the world. Over the past few years, unexpected shutdowns at the major molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) production facilities have resulted in significant shortages of this important medical isotope. Because of this, the United States is currently situated at the nexus of two related priorities: discouraging the use of proliferation-sensitive HEU in civilian applications and overcoming a health crisis from the lack of a sufficient, reliable supply of Mo-99.

M3 provides support to establish reliable supplies of Mo-99, produced without HEU, for the United
States by providing assistance to convert current production from HEU targets to LEU targets and
to accelerate existing commercial projects in the United States to produce Mo-99 without the use
of HEU by the end of 2016. Through these actions M3's Mo-99 program is addressing both issues of
nonproliferation and reliability of supply.